From the Desk of Father Tharp

Infant Pre-Baptism Class

The pre-baptism class for our Pastoral Region for first time parents is the second Monday of each month.  The next class is Monday, May 13, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. in the basement of Sacred Heart Church.  There is no need to call ahead or pre-register.  Enter the Narthex and walk down the stairway to RH 2 & 3.  Program takes approximately 35 to 45 minutes.

Reflection on Scripture

The image of Jesus the Good Shepherd makes us comfortable.  After all, a shepherd does not just herd his sheep; he cares for and about each one of them.  A cowboy drives cattle by pressuring them where he wants them to graze.  A shepherd leads his sheep.  They hear his voice and follow.  The shepherd has a sacred trust to never lead the sheep astray. 

But as comfortable as the analogy is, the fact is that panic can make the sheep scatter.  And when they scatter in panic they are individually vulnerable.  The shepherd cannot protect them if they do not stay together.  In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear how the early Church was torn apart by the cultural differences between the Jewish and Greek ethical systems.  Paul tells them that the only solution is for all to stay close to Christ, the true shepherd. 

I have heard people say that their affiliations with social, political, or artistic expressions take precedence over their affiliation with the Catholic Church.  But if people divide from the flock because of these differences, we are vulnerable because we have strayed from the one true shepherd who is Jesus Christ.  We can have unity without uniformity; but we cannot be one flock without a divine shepherd.  Put Christ first in your life.  Show your loyalty to him by your charity and service to others.  And value being part of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.  We are one flock with one shepherd and one eternal home called Heaven!  Don’t be drawn into a society without a shepherd built on despair.  Only in Christ is there hope for eternal life.

Next Weekend: Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 14:21-27

Rev 21:1-5a

Jn. 13:31-33a, 34-35

Theme: They will know we are Christians by our love.